abby vanduker, 20, oklahoma

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invisible children
charity: water
liberty in north korea

it’s the simple things: i love today. 

• woke up early to sunshine
• went to cha for a latte & reading time (steve jobs biography)
• snatched a $80 pullover for $10
• longest (1.5 mile) run around the neighbourhood since i stress fractured both of my calves
• drove to pops for sodas with my sister
• took a siesta with my puppy
• and now i’m getting ready for a castle/hot tub date. 

bye xxxx

hi. lying around in a hotel room in tulsa with my dad drinking wine and listening to hysterical roy d. mercer tapes + an acoustic recording of collide by howie day while we should both be sleeping (marathon in the morning, but i’m not running due to my stress fractures- waah).

and you?

• woke up to the sunrise
• had ben & jerry’s for breakfast
• snuggled with my super cute puppy
• went to flat tire burgers for lunch with mama
• got free hot cocoa and excedrin at target
• purchased injinji socks at red coyote
• picked the sister up from school
• spent some time on the treadmill
• love my nike frees
• my knee hates me
• took an extremely hot bubble bath
• drank tazo joy tea + ate a moro blood orange
• now reading through tumblr + icing my knee

life is good.

Twelve years later, it’s over. I never have to attend another day of public school merely because the law says so, never again am I to be submitted to being treated by anything less than I am. It’s over. High school is over. I never have to go back. I couldn’t feel more free- the rest of my life? It’s entirely in my hands, I can do whatever I so desire with it.

Yesterday, I somehow made it 9.33 miles around Lake Hefner on my feet in just over two hours. While this is not exactly speedy (I’m blaming part of my speed on the strong wind off the lake), I’m shocked I was actually able to make it around there that fast and that well after averaging four miles or so each run- that’s just under three miles short of a half-marathon.
As usual, I did quite a lot of thinking while running- two hours worth, anyway. For a good while I was imagining how nice it’d be to have a cute boyfriend to come home to after I finished (or even to run it with me like several people I saw), curl up on the couch and watch Garden State or Breakfast at Tiffany’s, something like that. I then realised that’s the last thing I wanted right now- I don’t want there to be a single question in my mind that I just might be doing this for anyone or anything other than myself. 

With that in mind, I’m off to fight through being sore from yesterday and make a few laps around the neighbourhood, hopefully a bit faster this time.

I have a feeling this summer is going to be the one everyone always dreams of. I have a job I love, the best of best friends, cute new clothes, the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act is being signed into law today, best friend’s cute brand new Jeep, I’m getting in the best shape I’ve been in since 2004, and I’ve got complete control over my life.

I just ran over three miles, no walking, without anything bothering me excluding my throat drying up and calves getting a little tight- which is nothing.

I am so happy with myself right now…and am more than ready to go run another three. I am, undoubtedly, already addicted.

Time for intense study session in the library; I’m already ready for tomorrow to be over with.

I’m running 13.1 miles in the Tulsa Route 66 Half-Marathon on November 21st, 2010.
I’m running 26.2 miles in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon on May 1st, 2011.

This is not just another thing I’ll forget, just another thing that anything will be able to knock me down on.
Stress fractures, back aches, migraines- step aside. I’m dead serious this time around. 

and after that? What’s to come next? The Redman Triathlon? Swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2?
Oh, goodness. I’ve really lost my mind this time around, haven’t I?

This just happened.

My dad has just laced up his sneakers and put in his headphones for his thirteen mile run of the evening. I look over and see him bobbing his head up and down, real into whatever is flowing through his headphones and laugh at him. He tells me “here”, goes to take out one of his headphones, but I guess then decides it’s just easier to go, “I. AM. AN. ANAR-CHIST!” as in Anarchy in the U.K. by The Sex Pistols.